The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-09-16

PHILLIP SCdU1 LEX. was ueSpOLlCs
contained no bill of rights, it made no pro-
visions to secure the citizens against illegal
powers; there was nothing about the right of
conscience, the freedom of the press, the trial
by jury, excessive balls, fines, forfeitures or
oppressive military establishments. It's
friends replied that the whole instrument was
bill of rights, since the general government
could exercise no powers except such as were
granted, and the states could devise as many
safeguards as they chose. Nevertheless,
they generally consented that these things
should be provided for in amendments though
insisting land truly, too that they were
needless The first fight came on in the con-
gress still in session, which was, indeed, asked
to approve its own humiliation. Richard
Henry Lee opposed the new government be-
cause it was too strong; Grayson, also
of Virginia, because it was too weak.
All the New York delegates, Melancthon
Smith at their head, opposed it on the ground
that New York could not afford to surrender
her customs duties. Finally congress de-
cided to submit the constitution to the states
without special recommendation. But Rich
ard Henry Lee was implacable. He and
Grayson had been outvoted by their three
colleagues, and SO Virginia was recorded in
congress as for the constitution. He now
stirred up opposition in every state, scatter
ing many thousand copies of his Letters
from the Federal Farmer" Madison and
Hamilton replied in The Federalist, while
Washington exerted himself in Virginia
against Harrison, Nelson and Patrick Henry.
The Virginia assembly met on the third
Monday in October, and wrangled till March
before ordering convention; and then the
date of its meeting was postponed to the first
Monday in June Q1SS). The debates OF this
convention furnished most valuable guide
to the intent of the trainers and the meaning
of the constitution; but this is no place for de-
tails. Suffice it that after long and heated
discussion, and only upon the pledge OF its
supporters that the constitution should be
amended, the Virginia convention ratified it
on the 25th of June, 1888, by the narrow mar
gin of eighty-nine yeas to seventy mine nays
In Delaware the legislature fastened to say
that it "could not find language to express
the joy of the people," and called a conven-
ton at once That body, as soon as organ
lied, unanimously ratified the constitution on
Dec. 6, 1881 The Pennsylvania convention
met Nov. 20, and after three weeks debate,
ratified the constitution on Dec. 10 by vote
of 46 to %. Twenty-one of the minority |
49,
congress would lead to an iron handed des- |
potism, with unlimited control of the purse |
and sword" New Jerseys convention met |
Dec. IL, 1857, read the constitution by sections
for a week, and on the 18th ratified it unani- |
mously So the union of the central states |
was complete. Georgia also ratified unani- |
mously and without debate. JAM 2, 17SS, |
firing thirteen guns as the signing progressed. |
Connecticut, with very little opposition, rati-
fled Jan. 8, 17ss, by vote of 12s to 40. Then
came the great battle royal in Massachusetts,. |
The delegates in that state were elected in
the heat and fury following the Shay's insur-
rection, and eighteen "rebels" had seats in
the convention. The friends of the constitu-
ton confessed themselves in minority at
the start but they gained by concession and
the Maine delegates saved the day Maine
was then a district of Massachusetts,. For
three weeks the opposition offered every OBJ
lection that the mind of man can conceive
religious, commercial and fiscal, the lack of
bill of rights, the want of a religious test, the
matters. They then tried all possible schemes